Kwiecinski: Reflections as the Boone County 2021 high school football season comes to an end

Walking off the field at Hallsville was a bit of a surreal moment, for me personally that is.

It marked the end of my first high school football season in Boone County, as the Indians fell to a really good Bowling Green team Friday night. It was a game that required a healthy amount of perspective.

It also reminded me of a lesson that I've consistently learned in my first few months in Columbia and in Boone County

These are my main takeaways and superlatives from my first central Missouri football season.

Perspective is key

Hallsville coach Justin Conyers put it perfectly after the Indians' game Friday: Don't let the outcome of one game define a season.

Hallsville won the Tri-County Conference title and went undefeated in the regular season. Those results can't be forgotten just because the Indians fell short.

More: Turnovers, missed opportunities keep Hallsville from a third-straight district title

The same goes for the rest of the teams around Boone County.

This season featured some difficult schedules, where the pandemic was still affecting teams to the point where games were canceled. Still, players and coaches played every Friday with the goal of winning every week and improving.

In some of my past stops, prep football seasons I have covered in Illinois and Utah were simple: win the conference, win in the playoffs and eye a state title. In Missouri so far, it's very week to week.

I don't think I've gone a week without hearing a coach say their main focus was moving on to next week and finding ways to get better. That perspective is what makes football special, especially here in Boone County.

There might not be a state champion this season, but plenty of teams still won.

End of the year superlatives:

Team of the year

Easily, it was Hallsville. The team that went undefeated until this week. The team that had a clutch gene unlike any other. The team that just found ways to win.

The Indians' season ended at the hands of a Bowling Green team that did the same things Hallsville did. On Friday, the Bobcats just did it better.

Hallsville was still a team that played its best when its back was against the wall. Friday was no exception.

That's not a simple factor to have, especially in football. It's not like basketball or baseball, where one player can be the difference in the game.

If the line doesn't block, Tyger Cobb can't run for 200 yards consistently. If the defensive backs can't cover opposing receivers long enough, the defensive line can't tally tackles for loss or sacks. Each action leads to another, including a good coaching staff that can identify an opponent's weakness and prepare their team to exploit that.

Comeback teams of the year

Centralia was the first team I saw play in my first week of prep football, all the way back on Aug. 28.

Fast forward nearly two and a half months, and that Centralia team wasn't the same. That same team that struggled early on nearly took down Hallsville in the Class 2 District 6 semifinals, and it was due to the team realizing what it needed to do.

The Panthers rallied and punched teams first and relied on its running game. Coach Tyler Forsee told me Centralia was "playing with house money" heading into its second game against Hallsville. That phrase was indicative of how the Panthers played for most of the second half of the season.

More: Inside Hallsville's clutch comeback over Centralia to reach district title game

Battle also falls into this category, as the Spartans' tough schedule was a roller coaster. Battle consistently picked itself up after a loss and found ways to rebound with wins.

This was evident in how the Spartans rallied after a COVID-19 cancellation and a loss to Helias. Battle won the following week against Hickman.

The same goes for how Battle lost to Jefferson City in a shootout and to Hannibal in a blowout, only to beat Liberty-Wentzville in the playoffs.

Program-defining teams this season

Harrisburg and Tolton fell short of district titles and even faced off in the playoffs. But these two teams this season defined the direction for both programs.

Tolton clinched its first winning season since 2015 behind standout athletic performances where the Trailblazers won the games they needed to. Under Michael Egnew, Tolton is establishing a precedent for future seasons.

Harrisburg's seniors stood out among the rest. They rallied together to put the Bulldogs on the map in Boone County, which is something that couldn't be said just three seasons ago.

More: How Harrisburg's district semifinal loss turned into a senior coronation

Individual performances of the year

Tyger Cobb's game against Blair Oaks was legendary. He rushed 37 times for 304 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing for 144 yards and two more scores. That stat line should be hung in the rafters after Hallsville's huge win.

Rickie Dunn single-handedly beat Fort Zumwalt North with 121 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, a fumble returned for a touchdown with 1:08 left and the go-ahead two-point conversion after. It was a herculean effort for Battle.

James Lee scored five touchdowns in a game to secure Tolton's first winning season in six years. Lee recorded 193 receiving yards, three receiving touchdowns, an interception returned for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Jacob Bowles rushed 22 times for 215 yards and three scores in Southern Boone's shootout win over Eldon. Top-tier rushing stats in a shootout are hard to come by, but Bowles was on point that Friday.

La'Javion Williams touched the ball three times for Battle against Hickman and scored each time. He had receptions for 28 and 59 yards, scoring touchdowns on both catches. He also returned a kick for a touchdown against his former team.

Payton Messer, with his brother on his mind, scored three total touchdowns for Rock Bridge against Jefferson City. He caught four passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns to go with a kick return for a score. That emotion can't be understated.

Next up for the Tribune...

Stay with us in the coming weeks. We have a substantial high school basketball preview in the works.

Come Thanksgiving week, we'll have details on every boys and girls prep basketball team in Boone County.

Chris Kwiecinski is the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune, overseeing University of Missouri and Boone County sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_ and contact him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 435-414-3261.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Looking back on Boone County 2021 high school football season